I want to start this post with a excerpt from my book, in Chapter 10:

“Serving in the technical ministry requires you to have a certain ability to balance both science and art. This doesn’t mean you have to hold a microscope in the left hand and a painting in the right. It means that you have to find your own little niche in the booth, and figure out when the right time to use each process is. Let’s look together at an outline of when to use science, and when to use art. Since I’m not there, how about you just look at it by yourself, and then let me know what you read.

I refer to “science” because understanding how to mix first begins with it. You can’t paint a beautiful priceless painting until you know how to mix colors, how the paint reacts to the surface, and how everything flows together. The same is true with technology. You can’t design a lighting plot for a play until you know how the colors react to the set pieces, where the shadows fall, and how the technology works to make the end result possible. In audio, you can’t mix a band together until you know how the equipment works, how the songs flow, and what instruments are featured. You use the science to master the concept of technology, from the basics of how a microphone works to the everyday sound check. The science comes into play when it’s time to get the band (or vocalists, or whatever) checked. Get the monitors set, figure out when certain instruments are soloed, etc. In lighting, figure out where lights need to be focused and colored, and then use those fixtures, and figure out when to fade in and out. You will find that the science is a long a tedious process that should never really end. If you find yourself not using the science as often, that says that you already know it all, and have nothing left to figure out. If this is the case, please come teach me everything you know! Again, without giving the proper attention to the science aspect of technology, you can bring you final product down from a Picasso event to a Barney Fife event.

The art aspect of technology is definitely not something that comes perfectly the first time, yet it is something that takes time after time of practice to refine. Art in technology is taking all of the things you learned with the science, and applying them to your task. For the audiophiles, it is masterfully creating a work of art with the sounds and nuances of the music that you learned during sound check. You are a band member, and the sound console is your instrument. For you lighting guys, it is craftily mixing your lighting to create moods that send your audience exactly to where you want them; whether it is a feeling, mood, or even place. Using the art does not, and should not mean you live by a “set it and forget it” mentality. Especially is audio mixing, you cannot expect to set your levels and not touch them……”

So many times, I think the problem with the local “tech guy” is that they are really good at one aspect, but have insufficient knowledge in the other. I believe this is why so many churches have a 2nd rate technical ministry, and in turn, have a second rate music ministry. When people don’t give 110% of themselves, and give the attention to detail that the job requires, it shows, and it shows bad.

I guess this blog is written mostly to the sound tech, and the person that manages them. If you find yourself leaning more towards science than art, or vice versa, I encourage you and challenge you to step back, analyze what you are doing, and consider doing it differently. Change CAN be a good thing, and when you try new things and they work out well, people will notice. And because perception is the prelude to expectation, if someone comes into your church, and the environment is set for a 110% performance, they are going to expect good things to happen- and that’s when God shows up….when you are giving your absolute best for Him.

Well, months of planning and hundreds of dollars in cell phone bills later, Worship Under the Stars was an awesome event! Despite the problems we had getting started on Thursday, and wondering if it was even going to happen on Friday, when we opened the doors at 6:35pm on Saturday, it was evident that something was going to happen that was bigger than all of us, and bigger than all of the problems we faced prior. We were forced to move into the convention center, after the rental company put the halt on setting equipment up outside, (mostly due to high winds, not rain). We were all very frustrated at first that the vision of being under the stars had been erased, but little did we know of the Divinity of that move. The Ampitheater holds approx. 1200 people. By 7:05pm, we had 2100 chairs out, and loading more in. By the the time we started the show, the convention center had ran out of floor space to put chairs, and people were lining the walls. Vertical Window did a great job opening, despite their opening technical issues, but once we got rolling, it was a great event. People were worshiping, and it was evident that many people, from many churches, from many denominations were all there together, and it was awesome. THANK YOU to everyone who came out to the event. I hope it was awe-inspiring, and a great time of worship for everyone who attended. Don’t forget to pre-order your DVD or CD of the event at the Worship Under the Stars website. So what’s next year? Well, let’s recover from this year a little longer before we start speculating about next year. I can tell you this though. First, the success of the event this year was beyond anything we had ever envisioned…just goes to show that we really were never in control to begin with…..Secondly, this success will definately spark a conversation of whether to do it again next year. Thirdly, It goes without saying that the amphitheater and the convention center are no longer options for us, so pray for a larger venue for us next year. Thanks to everyone who helped me pull off the night. Kay Oplinger was a silent hero, who really pulled off making everything happen right prior to the event. I would also like to thank my staff, who put in HOURS and HOURS of work, including Dennis Williams, Richard Milner, Stephen May, our helpers Bradley Jones and Chris Moncus, and the staff at StageFront. It couldn’t have happened without you guys!! See you next year!

What’s WUTS you ask? Only one of the biggest christian happenings in southeast Georgia! Worship Under the Stars is only 9 days away! I hope everyone in the Golden Isles area will do whatever it takes to make it to this event. It is going to be TONS of fun, and most importantly, FREE. As the Technical Director, I am responsible for making sure all of the Show aspects go as they are supposed to. For you tech guys who like to know what it’s going to look like, Check out this 3-D Drawing presentation, to get an idea of what is going on. URGENT: I am looking for help (4-6 people) for setup on THURSDAY, September 7th, from 8:00am until…. If you can help AT ALL this day, please let me know ASAP. Or Sign Up to Volunteer here. Hope to see you then!!!

For hundreds and hundreds of years, the church has been around, and it’s been here for the sole exsistance of trying to reach the lost world. However, even in today’s culture, the church is having a hard time. I believe this is because churches aren’t tapping into the resources that God has given them, and using every possible method they can to reach the lost. Theaters are full every night because the world lies to people very well, while churches are empty because they tell the ultimate Truth poorly. Why is this? Dave Matthews Band can use video footage at their concert to tie into the point of the song, if it even has a point, but many churches won’t use that same approach to bring home the cause of Christ, and make it relevant to the lost people of the world…Why? I hear too may churches say it’s because they don’t have the resources or money, but that’s not really the point. The point is, churches are too complacent where they are. They are more interested in making the old folks comfortable than they are reaching the poepl who drive PAST the church on Sunday morning!! The Bible says “be faithful with the small things, and you will be given many things (Matt 25:23). Maybe you can’t step into large scale Arts Preformances, and that’s OK. But if you are faithful with what you have, and give it 110% all the time, you will see fruit.

Worship under the Stars is quickly approaching!! The Jekyll Island Amphitheater is the place to be on September 10th this year! It is going to be an AWESOME night, including TWO bands, and all of the WOW-factor of a high-end touring concert. A live DVD and CD recording are being made that night, for later re-sale, so make sure that you are there to be a part of the night. The best part? It’s TOTALLY FREE!!!! www.worshipunderthestars.com

Hello! This is my first blog, and the welcome to my webpage. I am probably going to ramble a lot, but feel free to ramble right along with me. If you have any suggestions for my site, feel free to let me know!